Track attachment for switch-signals.



G. H. RICE. TRACK ATTACHMENT IO SWITCH SIGNALS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE l2, 1912. I

= Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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EQ2?, TEL? G. H. RICE.

TRACK ATTACHMENT PoR SWITCH SIGNALS. l

AP'PLIoATIoN FILED JUNBlz, 1912. Patented Dec. 17,1912.

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ATTORNEYS einen GEORGE HENRY RICE, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY 0F HAWAII.

TRACK ATTACHMENT FOR SWITCH-SIGNALS.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1', Gnoiios H. RICE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Honolulu, in the county of Honolulu and Territory ofHawaii, have invented a new and Improved Track iittachment `forSwitch-Signals, of which the Jfollowing is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to safety appliances for railways, and hasparticular reference to devices for signaling or giving indication tothe locomotive engineer of the fact of an open switch, draw or the like,which would be a menace to the train approaching the saine.

The object of the invention more definitely stated is to provide asignaling device which may be connected for operation to any number ofassociated switches whereby, when any one ofsaid switches is open,thesignaling means will be positioned to. give the proper indication tothe engine driver. The arrangement, however, is such that when thesignaling means have been operated simultaneously with the opening ofthe switch, the operation of any other switch will not be prevented, norwill the signaling meansY b e restored to normal or inactive positionuntil all the switches be again closed.

The foregoing and other objects of the in- .vention will be hereinafterfully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings.accompanying this specification in which like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 isa diagrammatic plan view of a section of railway track of a single tracksystem, having associated therewith a series of switches; Fig. lA willbe understood as being an extension at the left hand end of Fig. 1; Fig.9. is a side elevation ot a fragment of a locomotive on a railway track,certain of the signaling means being shown in. transverse section, onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism at asignal station; and Figs. 4- aiid 5 are transverse vert-ical sections ofthe same respectively on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 will he understoodto indicate the mainline of a single track railway, and associated withthe saine are a series of switches 11, 12 and 13, the exact number,however, of switches being immaterial. The

Vswitches and means for operating the same Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed .Tune 12, 19.12. Serial No.1'703,155.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

may be of any usual or approved construction and operation, it beingsutlicient to indicate at 14 a diagrammatic representation of a. blockfor each of said switches.

At 15 is indicated what may be regarded for convenience as a signalstation, the same to be located along the track 10 at any predetermineddistance -from the switch 11, such distance being suiiicient to warn theengineer in ample time to either stop his train or bring it undercomplete control by thc time he reaches any one of the series ofswitches between which and the signal station operative connections aremade. Likewise there is shown at 15 a similar signal station guardingthe approach to the switch 13 or any ot-liers which may be taken fromthe main line by the train running in the opposite direction. f

The devices at the signal station 15 comprise a base plate 16 adapted tobe supported in any convenient manner adjacent one of the cross ties 17,either being connected to the tie or to the rails. Mounted upon andextending upwardly from the base plate 16 are a pair of standards 18 and19 in which is journaled a transverse horizontal shaft 20. Said shaft isadapted to be rotated through an angle of substantially ninety degreesand has connected to it an actuator 2.1 shown in the form of a spiralspring encircling tlie shaft between the standards 18 and 19 andconnected rigidly thereto at one end, as shown at 2l. The opposite endof thc actuator is formed into a Astraight portion or i'nger 22 which isadapted in one position of the shaft to extend vertically as indicatedin Figs. 3 and t and in the other extreme position of the shaft isadapted to lie substantially horizontal as indicated in dotted lines inFig. Lt. Said finger, when in its elevated position, is adapted to bestruck by a movable member Q3 carried upon any suitable portion of thelocomotive and through the movement ot which any suitable audible orvisible signal may be given to the engineer. For such movable devicecarried by the locomotive, however, I prefer to use or recommend themechanism constituting the subject matter of my previous Patent No.1,002,083, dated August 29, 1911. It will be understood, of course, thatthe upright position ot' the linger 22 will be assumed only when thereis at least one open switch toward which the engineer is iunning. Thesignal' set in operation by such Cit finger, therefore, will warn theengineer of the dangerous fact -just referred to, As e matter of fact,the movable member may be the-movable member of an automatic air brakemechanism, \\fhereby when the said member is moved from its normalposition through engagement willi the linger the brakes may beautomatically setto stop or retard the running el the train whether ornot the engineer should regard the signal.

Any suitable means may be employed to rotate the sha'l't 2O anddetermine the position of the linger 22 with respect. to the position ofthe switches. As a preferred means for carrying this into practicalOperation, I connect to one end of the shaft a segmental gear 24:adapted to mesh with a corresponding gear 25 rigidly connected to a.rotary member shown as a sprocket wheel 26 jonrnaled on a vertical pivot2.7 and connected to the base plate 1G. A sprocket chain Q8 passes oversaid sprocket wheel, one end of which chain is connected to the adjacentend of a bar Q9 extending along the track and adjacent any desirednumber of said switches. lhe other end of the chain is connected througha link 30 to one end of a tension member in the form of a spring 31whose opposite end is anchored to any fixed partof the structure, as forinstance, the support 19.

Adjacent each switch and so connected with the movable switch points asto be thereby operated when the switch is thrown in either direction isa bell crank 32, the c0nneetion with the movableswitch points being with.he longitudinal arm of the bell crank. The normal position of the bellcranks 3Q, or the position corresponding to the closed switches, is suchthat the longitudinal arm aforesaid lies iarallel with the track rails.The horizontal arm of each bell crank is connected by a .tlexiloleconnection 33 to the adjacent bar 29. By virtue of the spring 31 actingthrough the chain 28, the normal position of the linger .22 is thatindicated in Fig. 4 in dotted lines, and the effect on the bar 29 issuch that all of the tiexible connections 33 will be under tension orwithout slack. Referring to Fig. l it will be noted that the switch 152is open, and hence the bell crank associated therewith is shown rotatedwhich has resulted in the movement of the bar 29 toward the left,causing all of the other flexible connections 33 of the other switchesin the series to become slackened. Such draft upon the bar 29, due tothe rotation of the bell crank at the switch 12, vill result in themovement of the-actuator and associated parts to the position shown inFig. 3. Any other switch of the associated series ma;` then be moved, ifnecessary or desi able. without allecting the position of the signaloperating devices.

The linger 2Q, by the abore Iperation,

having been brought to the vertical positionA` it may be engaged by anypart ot' the nmving train. but because ot' the flexible connection beiwcen said linger and the shaft 2t), .such engagement with the linger mayresult in a delires-inn ol.' the linger automatically without damagingthe mechanism. To provide. Vt'or a suitable contact means on thelocomotive l may use a slice 3l connected to the pilot or any othersuitable place 0n the locomotive, whereby the finger will be prewittedfrom being damaged or doing damage to any part of' the locomothe, britwill be in position, by virtue ot the spring 2l, to operaie thc s :nalmember at the proper time. 'lo prevent an undesired rotation of the.shaft 2() when the finger engaged by the shoe 34 or otherwise, l providea lug 35 against which av stopl 3G connected to the shaft 2O is adaptedto impinge. flaid stop 3o, therchufe,limits the rotation ci the shaft2() in one direction and determines the vertical adjustment position otthe linger I also provide a locking means to secure the shat't and tingcin the position just. described, wlrereby .so long as any one ot' theswitches is open, tl r. actuator will be maintained in operativeposition. To this end I connect to the shalt Q0 an auxiliary stop 36which is adapted to be engaged by a latch 37 at the time the sprocketwheel Q15 is completing its partial rotation under the inlluence ot' thechain The means I have shown for operating the lock comprises a finger3S secured to the sprocket wheel 2G, the outer end ol the fingeroperating upon a cam surface 3? adjacent the tree end of the lock At theend of said partial rotation ot' the sprocket wheel. the end ofthelinger 38 passes the end of the cam 3T and is in position toconstitute a positive stop tor the lock 37, the nose 87 of which will hare passed across the pat i ol the lower end et the stop 3G, therebypreventing a reverse rotation of the shaft Q0 or the gearing eonnectedthereto. lVhen', howeror, the last. open switch is closed. the spring 3lwill restore all ot the parts to normal position. The action of thechain Q8 at this time will cause the finger to be withdrawn 'from thelock 37, permitting the lock to roving on its pivot out ot engagementwith the stop 3G by virtue of a spring 39. The Outward swing ot the lockmay loe limited by a pin 40. At this time it will be understood that allof the bell cranks will be disposed with their horizontal arms at rightangles to the track rails and all ot the flexible connections 32 will betaut. It will be understood, il'urthermore. that the mechanism at thesignal station at l5 will he ot the same character and having` the samefunctions as the mechanism at thel station l5, and specitic descriptionot the saine will be unnecessary.

The several parts of the device may be ters Patent is 1. In a device ofthe character set forth,

the combination of a pluralityor` switches,

an actuator, and connections between the switches and the actuatorwhereby on the opening of any switch the actuator will be set inoperative position, such connections comprisin a series of bell crankspivoted adjacent t e respective switches, a bar connected at one end tothe actuator, and flexible connections between the bar and the severalbell cranks.

2. In mechanism for actuating a signal device, the combination of arotary shaft,

a inger iiexibly connected to the shaft, a sprocket chain, gearingbetween the sprocket chain and the shaft to cause positive rotation ofthe shaft when the chain is drawn in either direction, means to draw thechain, and locking means for the shaft including a stop carried by theshaft, a lock movable in the rear of s'aid stop, and a finger carried-by the gearing to hold the lock inl locking` position.

Intestlmony whereof I have signedmy name to this'specification 1n thepresence ot two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY' Rien.A

. Witnesses:

C. J. Wns'rnn7 JOE. CAHILL.

